It's a mess, but what the heck!

Okay, true that church music is a mess. Who knows what it should be or even is today? Should we be "contemporary"? or "traditional"? or "blended"? or "liturgical"? or "rock"? or "classical"? or "WHAT?" It is just a hodge-podge of abject confusion with no foundational past or projected future. In fact I am not even sure what my own preferences are anymore. Organ? Drums? Guitars? Orchestra? Piano? Acapella? Rock? Jazz? Classical? Choir? Praise team? Solos? Tracks? Slow? Fast? Loud? Soft?

Growing up in a Gospel/Baptist style, I quickly became a skilled and academically trained musician resulting in a plethora of professional experiences as a horn player, conductor, composer, and manager. In church settings, I have had opportunities to perform in Roman Catholic services, Jewish services, Methodist, Presbyterian, Unitarian, and several ethnic related denominations. From "high church" to "gospel/country" style, I have done it all and oddly have loved it all (okay, most of it anyway). Drop me into an Anglican church singing old hymns with an organ leading the way and a small call and response choir and I am happy.

Conversely, I am completely comfortable in a Gospel setting or rock contemporary or even African-American stylized emotional service. I can move with the best of them and have a charismatic (not tongues, don't worry) side that comes through occasionally. I love Praise and Worship music and am always eager to hear the latest chorus, but I also love "cultivated" choral music of John Rutter or "classical" string playing of Bach or a Handel Organ Sonata. It all plays a role in my faith and my joy of the Lord.

But to return to the question--what is right? What kind of of music, what style, what approach is the right one for churches today? At Ridgecrest, while the piano was important, it was the trap set that drove the music. Except for the Dennis Jernigan concert which was voice and piano, the drums set the tone and style for every hymn or chorus performed. In Biblical times, the drum set did not exist as we know it today. Perhaps this is a good reason to reject it. On the other hand, very little that we have today existed in Biblical times--instruments, lights, carpets, microphones, computers, even dress shoes, etc. Are the drums in themselves pagan or adversely secular? Scripture references drums and cymbals! Is it the beat of the music that is offensive, reminding us of hard rock on the radio with its sexually oriented words? Does a trap set move music from being "cultivated" or "classical" to being "populist" and youth oriented? Or does a trap set simply attempt to cross generation lines and give the music a familiar drive, modernizing old hymns and making them fresh?


Should my academic training govern my preference for "cultivated" or "artistic" church music? Probably not but it is hard to escape just the same. Sometimes I remember the old days at Music week in Glorieta where we focused on a large oratorio by a well-known composer and used a full orchestra and where the magnificent organ drove the hymns to great musical heights. And I get a little tired of the trap set at times and the constant syncopated rhythms of the choruses and the "building up" style of choruses and church music today. Sometimes I long for the days of simplicity and homophony of the hymns where we sang in four-part harmony and did all stanzas (or at least 3 of them!).

And yet there is no denying the powerful emotion of today's church music with its driving rhythms, punctuated text, personal statements, and extremes of joy and sentiment. While I once abhorred those crazed charismatics who lifted their hands toward God in a cheap display of their own false piousness, I now share in that experience which is a glorious way to reach out and physically express a closeness to the Lord our Savior. I cast my judgmental nature aside and accept the myriad ways to express my deepest thoughts of God's goodness. No more anger, no more intolerance, no more criticism (okay, at least not as vitriolic anyway), and no more selfishness, I now realize that God can bless us when we come to Him with an attitude of love, tolerance, and devotion.

Does this mean I have no more standards for music making in church? Absolutely not for I will ALWAYS battle for excellence regardless of the style presented. We should strive for the best in terms of accuracy, sound, text, harmony, and joy. It all plays a part in the worship experience. Praise God for giving us the opportunity to sing and play to Him. Thank God for forgiving us our painful judgments against our fellow man.

Yes, I miss the old days but I love the new days also. Mainly I feel blessed every time I join with my fellow Christians in Praise. Church music is a mess because mankind is a mess. But what the heck, let's jump in and worship in spite of our failings, doing our best to worship Him, and loving each other, setting aside our differences for the sake of the greater good.